Mixed Greens with Pears, Cranberries, and Pecans

Bosc pears that are just slightly underripe are perfect in this salad that’s simple enough for everyday, yet festive enough for holiday meals. Contrasted with the crunch of pecans and and the sweetness of dried cranberries, this salad is a party for the palate. Photos by Rachael Braun.

Serves: 4 to 6

3 to 4 ounces mixed baby greens (mesclun), or as desired

2 firm pears (preferably bosc), cored and diced

1/4 cup dried cranberries

1/3 to 1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans

1 large carrot, peeled and coarsely grated or thinly sliced

Freshly ground pepper to taste

Natural raspberry vinaigrette or balsamic vinaigrette, as needed

Combine the first 6 ingredients in a serving bowl and toss together. Drizzle in a little of the dressing of your choice and toss again. Pass around more dressing so that everyone can use as much or as little as they’d like.

Hi Lynn — doing nutritional analyses on all the recipes on this site would be prohibitively expensive, as I’d have to hire someone to do it. However, once the new site design is up (what you’re seeing today is temporary), I’m going to add a widget that will allow visitors to do the calculations right on the spot. Hopefully that will happen in the next month or so. Meanwhile, stay warm and healthy!